FIELD INTENSITY and POWER DENSITY Sometimes it is necessary to know the actual field intensity or power density at a given distance from a transmitter instead of the signal strength received by an antenna. Field intensity or power density calculations are necessary when estimating electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects, when determining potential radiation hazards (personnel safety), or in determining or verifying specifications. Field intensity (field strength) is a general term that usually means the magnitude of the electric field vector, commonly expressed in volts per meter. At frequencies above 100 MHZ, and particularly above one GHz, power density (PD) terminology is more often used than field strength. Power density and field intensity are related by equation [1]: 2 2 2 ' E ' E ' E PD [1] Z0 120B 377 2 where PD is in W/m , E is the RMS value of the field in volts/meter and 377 ohms is the characteristic impedance of free 2 2 2 space. When the units of PD are in mW/cm , then PD (mW/cm ) = E /3770. Conversions between field strength and power density when the impedance is 377 ohms, can be obtained from Table 1. It should be noted that to convert dBm/m2 to dBFV/m add 115.76 dB. Sample calculations for both field intensity and power density in the far field of a transmitting antenna are in Section 4-2 and Section 4-8. Refer to chapter 3 on antennas for the definitions of near field and far field. Note that the “/” term before m, m2, and cm2 in Table 1 mean “per”, i.e. dBm per m2, not to be confused with the 2 2 division sign which is valid for the Table 1 equation P=E /Zo. Remember that in order to obtain dBm from dBm/m given a certain area, you must add the logarithm of the area, not multiply. The values in the table are rounded to the nearest dBW, dBm, etc. per m2 so the results are less precise than a typical handheld calculator and may be up to ½ dB off. VOLTAGE MEASUREMENTS Coaxial cabling typically has input impedances of 50, 75, and 93S, (±2) with 50S being the most common. Other types of cabling include the following: TV cable is 75S (coaxial) or 300S (twin-lead), audio public address (PA) is 600S, audio speakers are 3.2(4), 8, or 16S. In the 50S case, power and voltage are related by: E 2 E 2 [2] P ' ' ' 50I 2 Z0 50 Conversions between measured power, voltage, and current where the typical impedance is 50 ohms can be obtained from Table 2. The dBFA current values are given because frequently a current probe is used during laboratory tests to determine the powerline input current to the system . MATCHING CABLING IMPEDANCE In performing measurements, we must take into account an impedance mismatch between measurement devices (typically 50 ohms) and free space (377 ohms). 4-1.1 Table 1. Conversion Table - Field Intensity and Power Density 2 PD = E /Z0 ( Related by free space impedance = 377 ohms ) 6 E 20 log 10 (E) PD 10 Log PD (Volts/m) (dBµV/m) (watts/m2) (dBW/m2) Watts/cm2 dBW/cm2 mW/cm2 dBm/cm2 dBm/m2 7,000 197 130,000 +51 13 +11 13,000 +41 +81 5,000 194 66,300 +48 6.6 +8 6,630 +38 +78 3,000 190 23,900 +44 2.4 +4 2,390 +34 +74 4,000 186 10,600 +40 1.1 0 1,060 +30 +70 1,000 180 2,650 +34 .27 -6 265 +24 +64 700 177 1,300 +31 .13 -9 130 +21 +61 500 174 663 +28 .066 -12 66 +18 +58 300 170 239 +24 .024 -16 24 +14 +54 200 166 106 +20 .011 -20 11 +10 +50 100 160 27 +14 .0027 -26 2.7 +4 +44 70 157 13 +11 1.3x10-3 -29 1.3 +1 +41 50 154 6.6 +8 6.6x10-4 -32 .66 -2 +38 30 150 2.4 +4 2.4x10-4 -36 .24 -6 +34 20 146 1.1 +0 1.1x10-4 -40 .11 -10 +30 10 140 .27 -6 2.7x10-5 -46 .027 -16 +24 7 137 .13 -9 1.3x10-5 -49 .013 -19 +21 5 134 .066 -12 6.6x10-6 -52 66x10-4 -22 +18 3 130 .024 -16 2.4x10-6 -56 24x10-4 -26 +14 2 126 .011 -20 1.1x10-6 -60 11x10-4 -30 +10 1 120 .0027 -26 2.7x10-7 -66 2.7x10-4 -36 +4 0.7 117 1.3x10-3 -29 1.3x10-7 -69 1.3x10-4 -39 +1 0.5 114 6.6x10-4 -32 6.6x10-8 -72 66x10-4 -42 -2 0.3 110 2.4x10-4 -36 2.4x10-8 -76 24x10-4 -46 -6 0.2 106 1.1x10-4 -40 1.1x10-8 -80 11x10-4 -50 -10 0.1 100 2.7x10-5 -46 2.7x10-9 -86 2.7x10-6 -56 -16 70x10-3 97 1.3x10-5 -49 1.3x10-9 -89 1.3x10-6 -59 -19 50x10-3 94 6.6x10-6 -52 6.6x10-10 -92 66x10-8 -62 -22 30x10-3 90 2.4x10-6 -56 2.4x10-10 -96 24x10-8 -66 -26 20x10-3 86 1.1x10-6 -60 1.1x10-10 -100 11x10-8 -70 -30 10x10-3 80 2.7x10-7 -66 2.7x10-11 -106 2.7x10-8 -76 -36 7x10-3 77 1.3x10-7 -69 1.3x10-11 -109 1.3x10-8 -79 -39 5x10-3 74 6.6x10-8 -72 6.6x10-12 -112 66x10-10 -82 -42 3x10-3 70 2.4x10-8 -76 2.4x10-12 -116 24x10-10 -86 -46 2x10-3 66 1.1x10-8 -80 1.1x10-12 -120 11x10-10 -90 -50 1x10-3 60 2.7x10-9 -86 2.7x10-13 -126 2.7x10-10 -96 -56 7x10-4 57 1.3x10-9 -89 1.3x10-13 -129 1.3x10-10 -99 -59 5x10-4 54 6.6x10-10 -92 6.6x10-14 -132 66x10-12 -102 -62 3x10-4 50 2.4x10-10 -96 2.4x10-14 -136 24x10-12 -106 -66 2x10-4 46 1.1x10-10 -100 1.1x10-14 -140 11x10-12 -110 -70 1x10-4 40 2.7x10-11 -106 2.7x10-15 -146 2.7x10-12 -116 -76 7x10-5 37 1.3x10-11 -109 1.3x10-15 -149 1.3x10-12 -119 -79 5x10-5 34 6.6x10-12 -112 6.6x10-16 -152 66x10-14 -122 -82 3x10-5 30 2.4x10-12 -116 2.4x10-16 -156 24x10-14 -126 -86 2x10-5 26 1.1x10-12 -120 1.1x10-16 -160 11x10-14 -130 -90 1x10-5 20 2.7x10-13 -126 2.7x10-17 -166 2.7x10-14 -136 -96 7x10-6 17 1.3x10-13 -129 1.3x10-17 -169 1.3x10-14 -139 -99 5x10-6 14 6.6x10-14 -132 6.6x10-18 -172 66x10-16 -142 -102 3x10-6 10 2.4x10-14 -136 2.4x10-18 -176 24x10-16 -146 -106 2x10-6 6 1.1x10-14 -140 1.1x10-18 -180 11x10-16 -150 -110 1x10-6 0 2.7x10-15 -146 2.7x10-19 -186 2.7x10-16 -156 -116 NOTE: Numbers in table rounded off 4-1.2 FIELD STRENGTH APPROACH To account for the impedance difference, the antenna factor (AF) is defined as: AF=E/V, where E is field intensity which can be expressed in terms taking 377 ohms into account and V is measured voltage which can be expressed in terms taking 50 ohms into account. Details are provided in Section 4-12. POWER DENSITY APPROACH To account for the impedance difference , the antenna’s effective capture area term, Ae relates free space power density PD with received power, Pr , i.e. Pr = PD Ae. Ae is a function of frequency and antenna gain and is related to AF as shown in Section 4-12. SAMPLE CALCULATIONS Section 4-2 provides sample calculations using power density and power terms from Table 1 and Table 2, whereas Section 4-12 uses these terms plus field intensity and voltage terms from Table 1 and Table 2. Refer the examples in Section 4-12 for usage of the conversions while converting free space values of power density to actual measurements with a spectrum analyzer attached by coaxial cable to a receiving antenna. Conversion Between Field Intensity (Table 1) and Power Received (Table 2). Power received (watts or milliwatts) can be expressed in terms of field intensity (volts/meter or µv/meter) using equation [3]: 2 2 ' E c [3] Power received (Pr ) G 480B2 f 2 2 2 or in log form: 10 log Pr = 20 log E + 10 log G - 20 log f + 10 log (c /480B ) [4] Then 10 log P = 20 log E + 10 log G - 20 log f + K [5] r 1 1 4 2 ' c conversions (Watts to mW) Where K4 10 log @ 480B2 as required (volts to µv)2 (Hz to MHz or GHz)2 Values of K4 (dB) The derivation of equation [3] follows: Pr E1 f1 (Hz) f1 (MHz) f1 (GHz) 2 2 Watts volts/meter 132.8 12.8 -47.2 PD= E /120B Eq [1], Section 4-1, terms (v /S) (dBW) 2 2 µv/meter 12.8 -107.2 -167.2 Ae = 8 G/4B Eq [8], Section 3-1, terms (m ) mW volts/meter 162.8 42.8 -17.2 2 2 Pr = PDAe Eq [2], Section 4-3, terms (W/m )(m ) (dBm) µv/meter 42.8 -77.2 -137.7 2 2 2 2 2 Pr = ( E /120B )( 8 G/4B) terms (v /m S)(m ) 8 = c /f Section 2-3, terms (m/sec)(sec) 2 2 2 2 Pr = ( E /480B )( c G/f ) which is equation [3] terms (v2/m2S)( m2/sec2)(sec2) or v2/S = watts 4-1.3 Table 2.